Fetish

__ Fetish __

__ Infinitely Wearable __
A glorified watch this is not. Powered by a 16-bit processor, the Ruputer Pro serves up a triple threat: This souped-up chronograph is also a full-featured PDA and a game unit. Sure, it keeps time, but this Win95-linkable device, flush with 2 megs of flash memory, also has the organizer functions of a PalmPilot. And its infrared communication with other Ruputers may soon allow for the sort of head-to-head gaming 3Com junkies can only dream about. The hitch: The Ruputer is sold exclusively in Japan. Ruputer Pro: ¥48,000 (US$360). Seiko Instruments: on the Web at www.seiko.com/Ruputer.html.

__ Sure Shot __
Remember what you did when the goons in Doom were after you with a chaingun? Well, it's probably a good idea to flee the business end of Porter-Cable's cordless nailgun, too: The Bammer can sink nails through 2.5 inches of oak as quickly as you can squeeze the trigger. The first nailer with an oil-free internal-combustion engine, the Bammer uses a volatile gas propellant, allowing about 3,000 shots per fuel cell. Bammer: US$299. Porter-Cable: (800) 487 8665, on the Web at www.porter-cable.com/.

__ Universal Access __
While the world waits for Motorola's grand fleet of low Earth orbit satellites, Magellan has already perfected mobile communication via email. The Global Satellite Communicator - the first handheld worldwide messenger - uses 28 LEOs to let you receive and store up to 100 messages, as well as send notes of up to 2,000 characters. Though the unit costs less than Iridium's proposed model, it's a good idea to learn shorthand: Sending text costs around a penny per character. GSC 100: US$999. Magellan: +1 (909) 394 5000.

__ Tubbie __
New Watchmans arrive almost every year, but never has Sony made such a well-designed package. The curvy shape and flat bottom of the latest offering can sit on a table or will rest gently on your belly so you can catch a little tube in transit; the neck strap functions as the unit's rabbit ears for better reception. But take heed: If you walk around with a little television playing on your stomach, don't be surprised when some toddler mistakes you for the long-lost fifth member of a popular PBS kidvid import. Watchman FDL-PT22: US$109. Sony: +1 (201) 930 1000, on the Web at www.sony.com/.

__ Borg Qube __
Web servers are typically either too complicated to set up for a small business or not scalable when you start to get real hits. The Cobalt Qube takes a few minutes to install and runs on Linux - the powerful, free Unix-like operating system. A single Qube can handle 7 million hits per day, and it's easy to add more capacity. It uses a 64-bit MIPS RISC processor and the heavy-duty Apache server software, but administration is accomplished through a few point-and-click HTML pages. Cobalt Qube 2700D: US$999. Cobalt Microserver: +1 (650) 930 2500, on the Web at www.cobaltmicro.com/.

__ Jewel Box __
With a design scheme pulled from a '70s sci-fi sex romp, Apple's iMac makes every computer to date look like government cheese. It's also shed several old-fashioned standard features. It has a CD-ROM drive but no floppy bay and two USB ports but no conventional connector. The guts - a fast G3 processor, 32 Mbytes of memory, and a roomy hard drive - stand up to any comparably priced desktop PC, and it has a built-in screen and modem. Introducing the iMac, Steve Jobs said, "Apple has a core competency in fashion and design." He's right. If the iMac were a sports car, we'd camp out at the dealership until we got one. iMac: US$1,299.Apple: on the Web at www.apple.com/.

__ Roadhouse __
It's no wonder that the US armed forces are looking at Herman Miller's portable office cube as an option for quick deployment. Originally built for visiting consultants, the Puzzle Mobile Workstation can easily be shipped anywhere and unfolds to provide a large desk area complete with a power strip for your laptop. This workspace also has a filing cabinet, overhead light, and porous walls suitable for tacking up urgent documents or pet photos. And, when you're out of the office, the box can be locked up for privacy. Puzzle Mobile Workstation: US$6,948. Herman Miller: +1 (408) 727 9517, on the Web at www.hermanmiller.com/.

__ Blinder __
Brighter is better. For some time, the presentation industry has been trying to make LCD projectors luminous enough for daylit rooms. With a recent breakthrough in reflective LCD technology, Chisholm's Dakota burns as bright as 1,000 ANSI lumens (quite a coup - the average package produces about half that many). The Dakota's picture is sharp - 1,024 by 768 - and whether you're projecting from PC or video, you can use the Dakota's PenPal tablet to jot notes onto the presentation. Dakota X1000: US$13,995. Chisholm: +1 (408) 559 1111, on the Web at www.chisholm.com/.

__ Dinghy __
The R/C Laser sailboat lets you work on sailing strategy without getting seasick. This radio-controlled boat's electronics move the rudder and the sail, so it's up to the landlubber at the helm to figure out how to use the wind's power to best advantage. At nearly a quarter the size of a real Laser sailboat, this 41.5-inch craft could easily carry your Chihuahua. If you want to sail rougher seas, the R/C can even essay winds up to 30 knots. R/C Laser sailboat: US$399.95. Out There Technologies: +1 (718) 349 3685.

Thanks to Tim Dickinson.